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LiBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 




GRACE WEISER DAVIS. 



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CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS 



BY 1/ 

GRACE (WEISER) DAVIS 



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BOSTON: 
THE CHRISTIAN WITNESS CO. 

36 BROMFIELD ST. 



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CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 



Get a middle-aged or old person converted 
and it often counts but one ; get a child con- 
verted and it is the beginning of a soul-saving 
multiplication table. 



INTRODUCTION. 



Ocean Grove, N. J., May i, 1897. 
Mrs. Grace Weiser Davis, 

Dear Friend, — 

You kindly ask me to write a brief in- 
troduction to your forth-coming book 
on "Childhood Conversions," in which 
you intend to illustrate the same by in- 
stances and incidents under your own 
observation. Please accept this friendly 
letter instead of the old formality to 
which you refer. 

I am glad you have given some of 
your time and strength to this work. 
Yourself converted at the age of eight, 
together with your wide experience as 
an evangelist, and especially your service 



vi INTRODUCTION. 

at Ocean Grove with the young for a 
number of years past, and the great suc- 
cess of that work here, eminently quaUfy 
you for such a task. 

Childhood and early youth are the 
most beautiful, interesting and important 
periods of human life. Beautiful, be- 
cause unmarred by sin; interesting, be- 
cause guileless; and important, because 
at that early period are inculcated the 
principles upon which the whole life is 
built. We cannot build well, unless we 
have good foundations. Around these 
periods cluster the fondest hopes. Every 
age and clime present marked illustra- 
tions of these things. The early histo- 
ries of Joseph, Moses, Samuel, Joash, 
Josiah, Daniel and Timothy are promi- 
nent in the Bible. ''They all remem- 
bered their Creator in the days of their 
youth." Thousands too, in every land 



INTRODUCTION. vii 

and age since the Bible closed at the 
early ages of five, six, seven, eight, and 
other years of youth, by an intelligent 
surrender of their hearts to God, not 
only commenced a religious life, but 
proved themselves in later periods, 
among the most consistent and useful 
Christians. 

The best people in all ages and 
countries have been interested in the re- 
ligion of childhood, and this interest is 
stronger now than ever. The more 
spiritual the church, the stronger is this 
solicitude. To this work, men and 
women in almost all lands are being di- 
vinely called. There is no field of labor 
to those properly qualified more impor- 
tant, or where returns are more abun- 
dant; neither are there any departments 
of religious work having higher sanc- 
tions or greater encouragements. 



viii INTRODUCTION. 

In the days of the Lord Jesus upon 
earth, 'They brought young children 
to him, that he should touch them; and 
his disciples rebuked those that brought 
them. But when Jesus saw it, he was 
much displeased, and said unto them, 
Suffer the little children to come unto 
me, and forbid them not; for of such is 
the kingdom of heaven. 

How beautiful and encouraging, to 
those who work in childhood fields, is 
the following paragraph: ''And Jesus 
called a little child unto him, and set him 
in the midst of them, and said. Verily I 
say unto you. Except ye be converted, 
and become as little children, ye shall 
not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
And whoso shall receive one such little 
child in my name, receiveth me.'' 

How terrible, too, the following an- 
nouncement, falling from the same hal- 



INTRODUCTION. ix 

lowed lips — ^'And whoso shall offend 
one of these little ones which believe in 
me, it were better for him that a mill- 
stone were hanged about his neck, and 
that he were drowned in the depths of 
the sea/' 

Your work at Ocean Grove has been 
so blessedly successful among the chil- 
dren, in their direct personal salvation, 
that if your life had accomplished noth- 
ing else on earth, this would be a noble 
monument to your usefulness, and also 
proof that Ocean Grove is not a failure. 
May you have still greater success in 
the future, and your* little book be a 
great helper in that success. 
Very truly yours, 

E. H. STOKES, 
President of Ocean Grove. 



PREFACE. 

It is a grateful encouragement to 
Christian workers among the children 
that they so clearly appreciate the invi- 
tations of the gospel. Unbaised by 
prejudice, and free from evil habits, 
they seem fitted to receive the word 
and believe as if by instinct. To them 
the story of the cross is a painful reality, 
and the love of Jesus dying for the world 
finds a ready response in their innocent 
natures. Scarcely a pastor's experience 
that does not include frequent cases of 
adults who were converted so early that 
memory retains but vaguely the cir- 
cumstances. There is 710 age limit to 
faith and love. 



xii PREFACE, 

Mr. Spurgeon, in a letter to Rev. E. 
P. Hammond, the '' Children's Evan- 
gelist," says, ''Dear Sir : My conviction is 
that our converts from among children 
are among the very best we have. I 
should judge them to have been more 
numerously genuine than any other 
class, more consistent, and in the long 
run more solid. I speak of those who 
are tried and kept under the wing of 
the church." He also asserts that of 
twenty-seven hundred members taken 
into his church in childhood he never 
had to discipline one. 

The clearness with which they state 
their Christian experience will astonish 
those not accustomed to conversing 
with them. Catechise them concerning 
their evidences, and they prove them- 



PREFACE. xiii 

selves theologians who need not to be 
ashamed of their faith. 

** How do you know you have found 
Jesus?'' was asked of a little boy. 

'' Because He has forgiven all my 
sins/* 

''What made Him forgive you?" 

'' Because I told Him I was sorry for 
them, and the teacher said, ' If we con- 
fess our sins. He is faithful and just to 
forgive us our sins,' and it made me cry 
to think I had not loved Him and prayed 
to Him, and I asked Him and He for- 
gave me." 

The loyalty of children to their early 
faith is a noteworthy fact. It is rarely 
found necessary to dismiss one of them 
from the church. Where this does 
sometimes occur, the cause may be 



xiv PREFACE. 

found in the neglect of them by their 
parents or the spiritual authorities. It 
ought not to be presumed that they will 
be mature Christians at once. Neither 
are adult converts. '^ They will," says 
Dr. Bushnell, ** as many of us do, live a 
mixed life, sinning and repenting, and 
let us not on this account debar them 
from the privilege of assembling them- 
selves with God's people at stated times 
to commemorate the dying love of 
Jesus.'* They will be children, but 
Christian children. 

The annual camp meetings at Ocean 
Grove are abundantly confirmatory of 
children's conversion. It is a thrilling 
sight to see a hundred or more of the 
little ones every year marching through 
the crowds toward the altar to receive 



PREFACE. XV 

the holy communion amid shouts and 
songs and tears, Mrs. Grace Weiser 
Davis with her corps of assistants lead- 
ing the lovely host. This elect lady, 
with her long experience as teacher and 
evangelist, is well qualified to write of 
the conversion of children, and the 
prayer of the writer of this preface is 
that still greater results may accompany 
her labors in this most important field, 
heretofore so marvellously blest of the 
Lord. 

I. Simmons, D. D. 
Pastor of First Church, Hartford, Conn, 



LETTER. 

For many years I have been greatly in- 
terested in the work of leading children 
to Christ, as well as the grown people. 
My evangelistic training commenced 
when I was appointed to lead the young 
people's class in my own church. Then, 
for a number of years I conducted meet- 
ings specially for children and young 
people at various camp meetings. In 
my work among the churches I always 
have special services in the afternoon 
for the children. 

Those converted in childhood, if faith- 
fully instructed and faithful to God, 
develop into the most useful Christian 
workers afterwards, as far as I have ob- 
served. 



xviii LETTER. 

The talks given in this book are just 
such as I have given to thousands and 
seen thousands commence the Christian 
life through them. 

The boys and girls to whom reference 
is made are almost all living and work- 
ing for Christ. From many books the 
impression is given that good children 
all die or become morbid. It will be 
seen that the reverse is true in this book 
of real stories of real, living people. 

With a prayer that these short talks 
may help many children and many 
grown people who are trying to help the 
children, I send this book forth upon its 
mission of helpfulness. . 

GRACE WEISER DAVIS. 

May, 1897. 



CONTENTS. 

Chapter i. — Our Sins Are Many. 

Chapter 2.— What ShaU We Do About 
Our Sins? What Gracie Did. 

Chapter 3. — After Gracie's Conversion. ' 

Chapter 4.— What Does It Mean to Be 
a Christian? How Old Must One 
Be? 

Chapter 5. — You May Be Sure You Are 
a Christian. 

Chapter 6. — To Be a Christian Makes 
One Happier. 

Chapter 7. — Better Than Anything Else. 

Chapter 8. — Never Sorry for Becoming 
a Christian When Young. 

Chapter 9. — Jesus Will Bless You Any- 
where, If You Pray. 

Chapter 10. — A Christian Has Tempta- 
tions. 



XX CONTENTS. 

Chapter ii. — To Keep Right, One Must 

Watch and Pray. 
Chapter 12. — A Helpful Prayer, and 

How It Helped. 
Chapter 13. — God's Eyes Are Ever Upon 

Us. 
Chapter 14. — How Oracle Lost Her Joy. 
Chapter 15. — You Can Be Faithful; Mil- 
ton Was. 
Chapter 16. — How to Decide What Is 

Right. What Would Jesus Do? 
Chapter 17. — What We Can Give to 

Jesus. 
Chapter 18. — Children Can Work for 

Jesus. 
Chapter 19. — What Jennie Did for Jesus. 
Chapter 20. — Other Ways of Working 

for Jesus. 
Chapter 21. — He Calleth for You. 
Chapter 22. — Why Should a Child Be a 

Christian? 



Chapter I. 

OUR SINS ARE MANY. 

''Lord, my sins they are many, 

Like the sands of the sea; 
But Thy blood, O my Saviour, 

Is sufficient for me; 
For Thy promise is written 

In bright letters that glow, 
Though your sins be as scarlet, 

I will make them like snow," 

is a hymn that most people know. 

It is true of grown folks and children 
that our sins have been many, — all the 
cross words, the untruths spoken, the 
swearing, the impure words, the wrong" 
use of the lips in every way. 



2 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

Then we have used our hands wrong- 
ly, and our feet wrongly, and in so many 
ways have done wrong. All these 
WTong actions are written against us, as 
well as all the good things we might 
have done but have failed to do. 

A little girl, upon going to bed, said: 
"Mamma, I have been so naughty to- 
day.'' The mother said, ''Why, darling, 
I didn't notice it; what have you done?" 
'T've had such a naughty fink," said the 
little girl. 

She meant that she had let herself have 
bad thoughts; just such thoughts as 
you have had sometimes, when your 
parents have told you to run on some 
errand, and you wanted to play. 

Perhaps you have felt mad inside and, 
instead of praying that you might resist 
the feeling, you have thought it over and 
over. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 3 

Just again as you have felt when your 
teacher or parents have made you do 
something that you didn't want to do. 
Perhaps you slammed your book on the 
desk, or banged the door shut, or made 
an ugly face. It was the wrong thought 
came to you, and you did not try to for- 
get it. 

So every wrong thought, or word, or 
act is written against us in God's book, 
and remains there until we ask Him to 
take them away. 

Our sins are as the sands of the sea — 
so many that we cannot count them. 

The little girl's mother did not know 
about the naughty thoughts of her child 
until she was told; but God did. He 
knows all about us; His eye is on us all 
the time. He sees us in the day and in 
the night. He sees us when no one else 
sees us. 



4 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

A little girl named LoUie one day took 
a piece of cake from the table without 
asking, because she thought no one 
would see her. When asked if she had 
taken the cake, Lollie said, "No." One 
sin leads to another. 

When Lollie's auntie told her how 
God had seen her when she took the 
cake, Lollie said, ''No, He wasn't look- 
ing then.'' She thought so, because she 
couldn't see God; but He saw her when 
she couldn't see Him, and He heard her 
tell the story. 

I am glad to say that when Lollie un- 
derstood this she asked God to forgive 
her and help her never to act thus again. 



Chapter II. 

WHAT SHALL WE DO ABOUT 
OUR SINS? 

WHAT GRACIE DID. 

What shall we do about all these sins 
about which I have just written? I will 
tell you what a little girl, named Gracie, 
did. 

She had tried to be good, but so often 
did the things she had not meant to do. 

One day a pleasant-faced gentleman 
said in the Sunday School, 'T believe a 
child can be converted!" Then he said, 
'T believe when you are eight years of 
age you are old enough." 

Little Gracie heard him, and she said 
to herself that, as soon as she was eight, 
she would be a Christian. 

5 



6 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

Now, if I were telling little folks, I 
should say as soon as you are old 
enough tO' understand. Some under- 
stand when eight, and others not until 
years after. 

There came a time when Gracie was 
eight years of age, and she was going 
to a camp meeting. She had made up 
her mind that there she would be con- 
verted. For a few days no one was in- 
vited forward for prayers. 

One evening the preacher asked those 
who wanted to pray and be prayed for to 
come to the front. Gracie got ready to 
go, but when she reached in her pocket 
she found she had no handkerchief. So 
she thought she couldn't go that night. 

The next night she was careful to have 
a nice, clean handkerchief; but when she 
got ready to go, something seemed to 
say, 'Tf you go, some one will steal your 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 7 

rocking chair/' So she didn't go that 
night. 

The third night she did not take her 
chair tO' church, and took a clean hand- 
kerchief. Now, she thought, she was all 
ready. 

But this time another thought came: 
she had on a nice, new hat. The 
thought came, Suppose you go and get 
so happy that you, knock your hat 
around and spoil it? Gracie had seen 
some grown persons get so happy that 
they would thus have their hats fall ofif. 

You see, Gracie wanted to give her 
heart to the Lord, but something was 
holding her back. Do you know who 
it was? It was the bad man, whom the 
Bible calls the Devil, that said these 
things to keep Gracie from coming. 
The same bad spirit tries to keep every- 
one from getting good, and from doing 
good. 



8 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

But, while Satan tries to hinder, God 
will help those who ask Him, and Grade 
prayed for help. So the next night she 
left her new hat home; and then, when 
the people were invited forward, she 
went. 

But, while Gracie knew what she 
wanted, she hardly knew what to do. 

An old lady asked her why she had 
come there, and she told her 'That Jesus 
might make her good." The lady said, 
''Now pray: Lord, I believe; help my 
unbelief." Gracie hardly understood 
what this prayer meant, but she prayed 
as told. 

Then the old lady left Gracie, and she 
told the Lord how she wanted Him to 
forgive her of all the naughty things she 
had ever done. 

A minister said afterwards that, at 
first, the little girl wept and then she 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 9 

commenced to laugh. He asked her 
why. 

''O, sir, I felt so bad I just had to cry, 
and now I feel so good I must laugh. 
There's a verse I think of, 'Blessed are 
they who hunger and thirst after right- 
eousness, for they shall be filled,' " said 
Gracie. 

Then they stood her upon a bench, 
and she gave her first words of testi- 
mony for Jesus, as a converted girl. 

Gracie's father said, ''Are you sure 
you are converted?" as he walked home 
with her. When she said she was, he 
asked her how she knew. She told him 
she felt so in her heart. 

He asked her how she felt. That was 
a very hard question to answer. After 
thinking a minute, she said, 'T just feel 
as if I love everyone." It was the best 
way she could tell it. 



10 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

So, when we give our hearts to Jesus, 
He gives us so much love that we love 
God more than ever before, so that we 
try hard to please Him; we love our 
parents so that we obey them; we love 
our playmates so that we are kind to 
them; and we love those who have been 
unkind to us so much that we do not 
want to return their unkindness, but to 
be kind to them. 



Chapter III. 

AFTER GRACIE'S CONVERSION. 

Some people think that children can- 
not know, when they are so little, that 
Jesus has given them a new heart; but 
children can, and do know it, and so 
did Gracie. 

That night, as she knelt down to pray, 
she commenced, as she usually did, 
"Our Father!" but she stopped, and then 
she said it over and over again, ''My 
Father!" Then she said, "My Father, 
who art in heaven; but, dear Father, 
you are on earth, too, and you are in 
my heart/' 

Gracie's older sister told her after- 
wards how she felt afraid of her now, 
11 



12 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

because she was a Christian. So this sis- 
ter had covered her head with the bed- 
clothes, for fear she would be talked to. 
She said afterwards she was afraid she 
would smother, because Gracie prayed 
so long/and yet she was only saying the 
Lord's Prayer; but she said it over and 
over again, because it seemed so sweet to 
her since she understood it by heart. 

The next morning Gracie saw an old 
lady, of whom she had always been a lit- 
tle afraid — she seemed so good; but now 
the fact that the old lady was so good 
made the child love her all the more. 
So Gracie ran right up to her, but did 
not know how to tell her. 

All the people from one church board- 
ed at the same place; so some one said at 
the breakfast table, ''Did you know that 
Gracie was converted last night?" 

''No," said the old lady, "but I might 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 13 

have known it, she is so very loving this 
morning/' 

So it was. Gracie loved God more, 
and she loved those who were trying to 
serve Him. She loved those, too, who 
were not given to Him; so she never 
stopped praying for her sister until she, 
too, had given her heart to Jesus. 

Then Gracie loved her Bible more 
than ever. Gracie had been taught to 
read the Bible, and had learned hun- 
dreds of verses in the Sunday School; 
but now she loved them so much more 
and understood them better. They 
seemed to be written for her as well as 
the others. 

When she and her sister went home 
from the camp meeting, they both joined 
the church. The sister was eleven, 
Gracie was eight. Some people thought 
they were too young to understand, and 



14 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

few spoke to them to welcome them into 
the church. 

On the other side of the altar were two 
young men who also joined the church; 
but they went back into sin, while 
Gracie and her sister grew up trying to 
be Christians, and are trying to be so 
now. 

Gracie found that the Lord would 
help her in her lessons, at play, at home, 
and everywhere, and all the time. 



Chapter IV, 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A 
CHRISTIAN? HOW OLD MUST 
ONE BE? 

What does it mean to be a Christian? 
It means to give yourself to Jesus, have 
your sins forgiven, and then what? I 
will tell, you what a little girl in New 
York City told me, 'Tt means, after that, 
to mind everything Jesus says." That 
is it, exactly. When you are going to 
do anything, to say to yourself. Will this 
please Jesus? Said a little boy, 'Tt 
means to do just as Jesus would if He 
w^ere a little boy and lived in this house." 

Can boys play ball, and marbles, and 
fly kites, and have a good time, if they 



16 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

are Christians? Can girls play with 
dolls, and tea parties, etc., if they are 
Christians? Yes, and enjoy themselves 
much more. Nothing need be given up 
but sin, which leads to doing naughty 
things. 

How old must one be to do this? you 
ask. As soon as you are old enough to 
obey mamma and papa, you are old 
enough to obey God. As soon as you 
know what would please or displease 
them, you can know what will please or 
displease God. As soon as you know 
you love papa and mamma, and are 
loved by them, so soon may you know 
of the love of God. 

Said a little boy, ''I thought persons 
must grow up and be very wicked be- 
fore they tried to be Christians." Not 
so, however. The Bible says, '*Remem- 
ber now thy Creator in the days of thy 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 17 

youth!" 'They that seek me early shall 
find me." 

There is a saying, '' Twill save you 
from a thousand snares to mind religion 
yoimg." That is so. 

God can save a drunkard and help 
him to give up drink; but how much 
better to give your heart to Him and so 
be kept from ever learning to drink! 
Samuel was only seven years old when 
his mother gave him for service to God. 
Asa was only eight years of age when 
he commenced to serve the Lord. 

Jesus can use a boy or girl to do 
much good, if they keep near to Him. 

He used the little maid to help Naa- 
man find healing. 

He used the little boy and what he 
iiad to feed thousands of people. The 
little boy was close to Jesus, and so was 
used; Jesus blessed what he had. 



IS CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

So, if bo3^s and girls will let Jesus 
bless them, He can make them a bless- 
ing to others. 

The little maid spoke for Jesus, and 
hov/ Jesus blessed her words! 

Joseph, when a lad, pleased God, and 
obeyed his father. His brothers treated 
him badly. But, because Joseph kept 
on trying to do right, God took care 
of him. After a time Joseph was next 
the King, while his brothers were in 
need. 

Did Joseph return evil for evil? No. 
He was a Christian; he returned good for 
evil, and his brothers were sorry for the 
way they had treated him. 

Seme boys are afraid they will be 
laughed at if they try to be Christians. 
Please God, and He will take care of 
those that laugh at you or who treat you 
badly. Isaac Watts, the great poet, be- 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 19 

came a Christian when nine years of 
age. His influence will never die. 
Adam Clarke, the great commentator, 
was converted when four years of age. 
Alfred Cookman, the great revivalist, 
was converted when about ten years of 
age. Jonathan Edwards was seven, 
William Penn was nine when they start- 
ed to be Christians. 

I could fill this book with the names 
of bishops, and preachers, and Sunday 
School superintendents and Sunday 
School teachers who are all intelligent 
workers for Christ now, all of whom 
were converted under the age of four- 
teen. 

I mention these names above to en- 
courage boys and girls to seek Christ 
early and serve Him all the days of your 
life. 

In these pages to come I want to tell 



20 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

you real stories about real people who 
tried to be Christians, and some of the 
things they did. I have known all to 
whom I refer, and most of them are liv- 
ing now. 



Chapter V. 

MAY BE SURE GOD HAS FOR- 
GIVEN YOUR SINS. 

At a series of meetings at Ocean 
Grove, N. J., held for the children dur- 
ing the camp meeting, a boy named 
Samuel came forward to pray for him- 
self. 

He, at last, thought God had forgiven 
his sins, and he said his heart felt lighter. 

The next afternoon he was forward 
again. Upon being asked why he had 
come forward again, he said, ''I wanted 
to feel quite sure the Lord has forgiven 
me.'' He said he felt the Lord had 
blessed him a little, but he wanted the 
Lord to bless him more. Soon he rose, 

21 



22 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

his face beaming with joy, and said the 
Lord had answered his prayer. 

What God did for Samuel He will do 
for any little boy or girl who will ask 
Him to forgive and bless them. 

I told this story at another of the 
children's meetings at the same place. 
Afterwards, another boy came forward, 
named Andrew Robertson, who was 
thirteen years old. His mother had 
brought him up to be a good boy, so she 
went to him and said, ''My boy, have 
you not been trying to be a good boy? 
Why have you come here?" 

''O, mamma,'' he said, "I want to be 
sure that I have a new heart." After 
some praying, he said he felt sure that 
he was converted. 

When he went home he spoke to his 
brother, urging him to come to the chil- 
dren's meeting and give his heart to 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 23 

the Lord. But the older brother told 
him that he was a Christian already. 
"Well, you want to be sure of it, that's 
all," said Andrew. He led a brother and 
playmate to Christ at these meetings. 

When this boy went to his home in 
Paterson, N. J., in September, he was 
taken sick; but even then he tried to do 
some work for Jesus. 

A cousin was sick, and he urged that 
some one of the family visit this cousin 
and try to get him converted. He said, 
"It would be so awful if he should die 
and not be saved.'' So the cousin was 
visited and prayed with and was con- 
verted. 

This boy had a constant desire to see 
others become Christians, and led a 
number to Christ — at least helped to do 
so. 



24 CBILDHOOD CONVERSION. 

His father was a minister and his 
mother a very earnest, active Christian. 
It had been their hope that Andrew 
would be a minister when he grew up; 
but he grew worse, until they saw their 
dear boy had consumption. 

One day Andrew asked his mother if 
she thought he would get well. 

She said she thought they ought to 
leave that in the Lord's hands; but she 
asked if he didn't think he was ready to 
die, if God wanted him. Andrew said, 
"Yes; but I do so want to live.'' 

One day in October he commenced 
the subject with his mother by saying, 
'Mamma, I've been thinking about 
what we talked some time ago about 
my living, and I don't feel about it as I 
did then. It's all right, if He doesn't 
want me to live here much longer." 

From then on the dear boy seemed to 



CHILDHOOD CO.WEASIONS. 25 

grow weaker, and one day Jesus took 
Andrew to Himself in heaven. 

But it was wonderful up to the very 
last how this dear boy, who was so sure 
he was the Lord's boy, tried to get 
others to the same knowledge, and he 
died trusting in Jesus. I have no doubt 
he is with Jesus to-day in heaven. 

What Andrew knew in regard to be- 
ing God's child, every boy and girl may 
know if they pray earnestly to God for 
forgiveness and believe the Word of 
God and afterwards try to please God. 

Andrew's choice of hymns was, 'The 
best friend to have is Jesus." Just be- 
fore he died he asked his mother when 
she thought he would be well. The 
mother said, ''I think Jesus is coming for 
you to-day, and you will never be sick 
or suffer any more." 



26 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

He smiled, and a number of times af- 
terwards, when he was suffering most, 
said, ''Mamma, Jesus seems a long time 
in coming." He told his mamma he 
would be watching for her to come to 
heaven. 

Just before he died he seemed to be 
talking with some one, and smiled as he 
answered, "Yes and no." Then he went 
to sleep here, and awakened in heaven. 

The eyes filled with love to the last 
Now see Jesus' face with delight; 

His sickness and sorrows are past, 
He dwells with the saints, robed in 
white. 



Chapter VI. 

MAKES ONE HAPPIER TO BE 
A CHRISTIAN. 

A lady in Washington, D. C, held a 
prayer meeting every week at her house. 

She had been praying very much for 
a special blessing upon the next prayer 
meeting to be held, but the day proved 
to be a very stormy one, so only one lady 
came. They had a prayer together, and 
wondered why she had been so drawn to 
pray, if it w^as going to be so stormy 
that no one could come to the meeting. 

This lady had a little daughter, six 
years of age, named Virgie. She knelt 
with the two ladies, and afterwards kept 
saying she was so happy. 

27 



28 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

When they asked her what made her 
so happy, she said, ''Why, you asked 
Jesus to bless us, and He has done it. I 
feel so happy!" 

From that day on, Virgie was a 
changed girl. 

When I knew her first, she was a 
curly-haired girl of thirteen years of age. 
She was an earnest. Christian girl, work- 
ing in the church and Sunday School, 
a great comfort to her mother and help- 
ful to many others. People who were 
sick liked to have Virgie come and 
visit them. She would sing and talk 
about Jesus to them and pray with them. 

She was anxious to help people be- 
come Christians, and she tr'ed to help 
them other ways. So she helped the 
poor people, and carried things that 
might tempt the appetite of the sick. 

When seventeen years of age, she was 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 29 

not feeling well, and the doctor said she 
had better go into the country. So she 
went to Virginia. She had to ride 
some miles in a stage at the end of her 
journey, and there she talked to the 
driver about giving his heart to God, 
and gave him some tracts. 

Virgie grew worse, instead of better, 
and so they sent for her mother. When 
the mother arrived and Virgie saw her, 
she said, "Mamma, Tm so tired! Won't 
it be nice to go home?" In a few hours 
Virgie had gone to her heavenly home. 

On the way back home the mother 
had the same stage driver take her and 
Virgie's coffined form to the cars who 
had driven Virgie when she had come to 
the place. He wept, and said he had 
never heard anybody talk like her, and 
that Virgie had helped him to become a 



30 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

Christian. So Virgie's last action was 
to do good. 

In Virgie's church and Sunday 
School, where she had been so beloved, 
they draped her chair in beautiful white. 
They said they would not put black in 
her memory, but white, to remind them 
that Virgie was wearing a white robe 
in heaven, and that it might help them 
keep themselves as pure as dear Virgie 
had been. 



Chapter VIL 

BETTER THAN ANYTHING 
ELSE. 

Richard was his right name, but he 
was called Dick, for short — this little 
boy of whom I now write. He was 
eight years of age. 

His father was a minister. One day, 
while the father was away preaching 
somewhere, Dick came home from 
church, telling his mamma that he had 
given his heart to Jesus, and meant to 
live as Jesus would have him from that 
time on. 

His mamma was very much pleased, 
and the next evening, when Dick's father 
came home, she told him, and he was 
pleased, also. 



32 CHILDHOOD COXVERSIONS, 

The next morning the rest of the fam- 
ily had arisen and gone down stairs — all 
but the father and Dick. The father 
was tired, and had gotten to bed late, so 
he thought he would rest a little while 
longer. 

Dick was very fond of sleeping with 
his father; so, when he saw his father, he 
got out of his bed, and, in his night 
clothes, went to his father's bed, and 
said, 'Tapa, may I come in with you?" 

''Certainly you can, my boy," said the 
father. 

So Dick cuddled up to his father, and, 
after he had kissed him, said, 'Tapa, I 
want to tell you something.'' 

''All right,'' said the father; "go ahead 
and tell me." Dick's father thought that 
Dick was going to tell him about his be- 
coming a Christian, so he got all ready 
to hear it. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 33 

Dick waited a minute. ''Well, what 
do you want to tell me?" said the father. 

Dick cleared his throat, and then said, 
'Tapa, I've lost my jack-knife!" 

''Oh, you have," said the father. 
"Well, I'm sorry for that; but boys will 
lose their knives, sometimes. I suppose 
I'll have to buy you another one, now." 

The father was disappointed at what 
Dick had to tell him. 

Then they both were quiet for a min- 
ute, when Dick said, "But, papa, I found 
something that is better than a jack- 
knife." 

"Oh, you have," said the father. 
"Why, what can be better than a jack- 
knife? Tell me about it." 

Then Dick cuddled closer to his papa 
and said, "Jesus." 

Then he told his papa how he had 
given himself to Jesus and how happy 



34 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

lie was, and they had a good talk to 
gether. 

Dick's papa saw that Dick had told 
him about the knife being lost so as to 
open the subject about Christ being 
found. 

Dick is a grown man now, and he has 
tried to live for Jesus ever since. 

His father told me the story, and I 
have written it because I think it such 
a beautiful one. 

Yes, Jesus is better than anything else 
that we can have in this world. 



Chapter VIII. 

NEVER SORRY FOR BEING 
YOUNG WHEN THEY BECAME 
CHRISTIANS. 

I know a lady who has three daugh- 
ters who were all converted when they 
were small. 

The mother told me she wanted that 
her children should eat food that was 
healthful, and dress in a proper way, 
and to teach them in book knowledge; 
but that she wanted also to help them to 
have a heart knowledge of God. 

You know many people have a head 
knowledge of God ; they know what they 
ought to do, but they don't do their duty, 
because they have not given their hearts 

35 



3,6 CHiLDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

to God. He says, "My son, give me 
thine heart/' 

This mother of whom I speak talked 
daily to her girls, and she spent the 
whole Sabbath evening of each week 
talking to them of God. 

One Sabbath evening, as they had an 
unusual time at their seaside home — for 
they had a home in the city, but when 
the hot weather came they always went 
to the seashore and stayed there until it 
was cool in the fall — this evening the 
mother had a very long talk with the 
children, and she thought they under- 
stood what it meant to give themselves 
to God for life. 

Then she asked them how old anyone 
ought to be to be a Christian. 

The eldest daughter, Maria, said she 
thought they ought to be eight years of 
age. She was something over nine. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 37 

The other girls were twins, and they 
both thought one ought to be six years 
old. They were over seven. 

'Then/' the mother said, ''according 
to what you think, you are all old 
enough to do this?" They said they 
were. ■ 

After each one said she would like to 
become a Christian, the mother had each 
one keel at a separate chair to pray, un- 
til they each felt that the Lord had 
blessed them. Then the mother had 
each one write a little letter to the father, 
telling him all about it. 

He was at his church in the city, 
preaching. How glad he was to hear 
the good news! He read the letter to 
his church, and they were glad, too. 
Many hearts were touched by the letters 
of these children, and it was the begin- 
ning of a great revival in that city 
church. 



38 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS 

Many years have come and gone 
since then, and those Httle girls are now 
young ladies, but they have tried ever 
since to live for Jesus. Every one of 
them has been a good worker in the 
church, and they have helped many 
others to come to Jesus. 

Nor have the girls ever been sorry that 
they commenced, when small, to serve 
Jesus. I have heard each one of the 
three say that she was glad she com- 
menced the Christian life when young, 
and if you were to meet them they would 
tell you the same thing, I am sure. 



Chapter IX. 

JESUS WILL BLESS YOU ANY- 
WHERE, IF YOU PRAY. 

There were some meetings being 
held in Elsie's church, and Elsie made 
up her mind that evening that she would 
go forward for prayers; but her mother 
would not allow her to go to church, as 
Elsie had said she had a headache. 

The mother did not know about 
Elsie's resolve, or she could have helped 
her, but she thought going twice to 
church in one day was enough for Elsie. 

Elsie now had not only a headache, 
but her heart ached even worse than her 
head. That night, when she had said 
her prayers, as she usually did, she told 

39 



40 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

Jesus the best she knew how about how 
sorry she was for all the sins of the past, 
and how she wanted Him to forgive her 
and give her a new heart. 

Jesus heard Elsie and blessed her in 
her bedroom. Then Elsie called her 
mother and told her. Both of them were 
very glad. So Elsie learned that Jesus 
could bless her at home as well as at 
church. 

Roy was in Sunday School when he 
heard those who wanted to give their 
hearts tO' Jesus invited to come forward. 
''But/' said the person, ''don't come if 
you are too little to understand." Roy 
was only seven years old. 

When he went home he told his 
mamma that he had given his heart to 
Jesus. 

"Why, Roy," said his mamma, "I hope 
you didn't go forward!" 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 41 

''No, I didn't/' said Roy, ''because I 
was afraid they might think I was too lit- 
tle; but I gave my heart to Jesus where 
I sat." 

"We must pray for your papa now," 
said the mamma. 

"All right," said Roy, kneeling down 
to do so at once. His mamma had not 
meant to pray then, but they did. 

At the tea table Roy said to his father, 
"We have been praying for you, papa, 
and so you'U have to go to church to- 
night, and be a Christian." Then Roy 
told his papa what he had done that 
afternoon. Roy was an only child, and 
his parents hated to refuse him any- 
thing, so, when his papa saw he wanted 
him to go tO' church, he went. Now, 
Roy's father rarely went to church. 

That evening the person who was 
leading the meeting asked from the 



42 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

pulpit that the people would come for- 
ward for prayers, and then went down 
the aisles asking the people. Roy's 
father was asked, but he said, ''No." 

Roy was sitting in the choir by his 
aunt's side. He watched his papa as he 
refused, and then he slid ofif his seat and 
went and stood on the pew by his 
father's side. 

Roy urged his papa to go, for fear the 
altar would be full. Finally it was filled. 
Then the leader said, ''You may come 
and kneel at the front seats." 

Roy kept saying, "Hurry up, papa!" 
until his papa said, ''Roy, you mustn't 
talk in church," at the same time lifting 
Roy down to the floor. Then the father 
left the church. 

Roy felt so badly that he wept; but 
soon his father came in again and went 
and kneeled down at the front bench, 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 43 

He said he kept hearing his boy's voice, 
"Hurry up!'' until it seemed as if God 
had led his boy to say it. 

Roy went and stood by his papa and 
said, while the father knelt, ''Now, papa, 
just tell Jesus to make you a good boy." 

Roy's father was converted, and a 
number of aunts and uncles were also 
converted during that revival through 
Roy. 

Six weeks after Roy was taken ill 
with scarlet fever, and it left him with 
dropsy. 

One day the doctor said, thinking Roy 
was asleep, ''Mrs. L., your little boy will 
never be well until God makes him well 
in heaven. 

When the doctor went Roy told his 
mamma he had heard it, and he wanted 
her to pray that God would make him 
well that day, but she said she could not. 



44 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

One day he had her look at his arms 
and feet, which were so swollen, and he 
said, 'Tm so sick; do pray Jesus to make 
me well in heaven. 

The mother, at last, knelt and said, 
"Dear Lord, if it be Thy will, make our 
dear Roy well on earth and spare him to 
us; but, if not, then we give him to Thee 
to make him well in heaven." 

Roy seemed so glad, and in the even- 
ing tried to get his father to do the same. 
Finally, the father did. 

Then Roy said, 'T know Jesus will 
soon answer our prayers.'' 

His father told Roy any time he want- 
ed to see him he should say so and he 
would come. 

One day Roy asked to see his father, 
and they sent at once for him. 

''Papa," said Roy, 'T think Jesus will 
make me well to-dav." 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 45 

''Don't talk so/' said the father. 
'Tlease God, I hope we wih have you 
many days longer." 

Then Roy got his father and mother 
to sing, 'T hope to meet you all in 
glory," which they did, as far as their 
tears would permit. Soon Roy was 
taken by Jesus and made well in heaven. 

So you see, Jesus can bless us any- 
where, if we ask Him to. 



Chapter X. 

A CHRISTIAN HAS TEMPTA- 
TIONS—BEING LAUGHED AT. 

When anyone tries to do right, the 
Evil Spirit wih try to get him to do 
wrong, and so everyone must watch and 
pray. 

A boy or girl may be tempted not to 
tell the exact truth, or not to obey the 
teacher or parents; or, if doing the thing 
commanded, to pout; or to be dishonest, 
or to treat or speak unkindly to those 
who are around. 

In many ways Satan will try to get us 
to do wrong, and he comes so cunningly 
that we hardly know it is he until we 
have yielded to him. Then, if we have 

4G 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 47 

done wrong, Satan tries to get us to give 
up doing good. So the Bible says we 
must watch and pray. 

One of the hardest things for children 
to endure is to have their playmates 
laugh at them for doing right. But, if 
you pray, God will make even this turn 
to a blessing for you. 

John C. was an English boy and lived 
in England. 

He often wanted to be a Christian, but 
no one asked him to do so. He often 
wished that his father or the class leader 
would say something to him; but they 
didn't. 

One night in the service he prayed 
God to lead his Sunday School teacher 
to talk to him. 

At the close of the service, as he was 
going out of church, the Sunday School 
teacher said, "]o\vi\^ I would like you to 



48 CHILDFIOOD CONVERSIONS. 

come to class meeting next Wednes- 
day." 

John's heart bounded with joy. He 
felt God had answered his prayer. 
John's father told him he would take 
him to the class. 

John went a number of weeks, but he 
did not feel sure about his sins being for- 
given. 

John was about fourteen years of age 
and he worked at mixing cement for 
masons. 

Some weeks after this, one of the boys 
of his own age started to make fun of 
John. He said, ''Jo'^^^ I understand 
you have become delicious!" The boy 
meant religious, but was too ignorant to 
use the right word ; but John understood 
what he meant. He prayed a minute, 
and then and there God blessed him as 
he had never been blessed. 



CfllLDHOOl) CONVERSIONS. 49 

Another boy, named Joe, who had 
been a swearer and drinker, was con- 
verted. 

His comrades made fun of him, and 
once tried to force the whiskey down his 
throat; but Joe would not be forced into 
doing bad, either by their threats, or 
taunts, or laughing. 

Some one asked Joe if he didn't feel 
bad when the fellows laughed so at him. 
''No," said Joe, ''I don't mind it, because 
I have the laugh on the inside of me." 

That is true, too; Jesus will give you 
a greater joy by serving Him, even 
though those around should make sport 
of you. 

In glass factories, after the glass is 
made, it is put into a hot oven and 
heated for a few minutes. Then the 
glass is taken out and cooled ofif, ready 
to be cut into panes of glass for use. 



t^i) CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

Before the man cuts the glass he puts 
it out where the hght and air will fall 
upon it. If the glass is not properly 
heated, it will crack at once. Then it is 
not used, but has to be melted and made 
over again. If the glass stands the test, 
however, then it is cut up for use. 

So the Christian is tempted by the 
Devil to do wrong, and tried by God, to 
see if the person can be trusted. When 
boys and girls do not yield to the 
tempter, and God sees He can trust 
them, then He can use them for His 
service. 

So it is important to do everything as 
we believe God would have us, and to 
remember that when we are refusing to 
do wrong we are gathering strength for 
future service. 



Chapter XI. 

TO KEEP RIGHT ONE MUST 
WATCH AND PRAY. 

In order to keep right one must watch 
and pray. We are tempted in every 
way to do wrong and to keep from doing 
the right. 

Said a Httle boy to his grandma, 
"Grandma, every day when Chilton and 
I get up in the morning we say, 'Now, 
to-day, we'll be good,' and we mean to 
be good; but mamma says if we have 
been naughty we must say at night time, 
'Father, forgive us.' Do you know, 
grandma, every night time we have to 
say, 'Father, forgive us,' because we 
have done something we ought not to 

51 



52 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

have done? Now, grandma, can you 
tell me why?" 

Then, the grandma told him it was be- 
cause they didn't remember to pray 
during the day that Jesus might help 
them. 

Many boys and girls only pray at 
night time. 

One little boy said he prayed at night 
because he was going to sleep, and it 
was dark and he wanted some one to 
take care of him. 'Tn the day time, 
when I'm awake," he said, 'T can take 
care of myself." 

Before the day was over a runaway 
horse knocked him down and broke his 
arm. So you see, there is need of God's 
help in the day, not only to keep the 
body safely, but to help us to do right. 

We should pray the first thing in the 
morning and the last thing at night and 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 53 

during the day whenever something 
seems to try to get us to do wrong or 
to keep us from doing our duty. 

It is our duty to do every Httle thing 
right. 

We should study in school, and thus 
fit ourselves to be wise Christians, and 
we ought to do everything promptly and 
correctly at home. 

Said a little girl, ''Before I tried to be 
a Christian, when mamma wasn't 
around, I did not sweep under the mats 
and in the corners of the room, but now 
I sweep everywhere." Ask God to help 
you to be faithful in the little things. 

We are building a house that shall 
stand through eternity. You know if 
a brick got crooked, there it would be 
in the house. We want to build well. 
Everything we do helps or hinders the 
beauty of our house, which we call our 
character. 



54 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

Suppose you find you have done 
something that was naughty; what then? 
Shall you give up trying to be good? 
No; go right to God and tell Him you 
are sorry, and ask Him to forgive you. 
Then try and not do the. naughty deed 
over again. 

I knew a little boy named Phillip, who 
had great trouble about his temper. If 
anything did not please him he would 
get very angry, and then he was likely 
to say or do something that was 
naughty. So Phillip's mother taught 
him to go to God and ask forgiveness 
at once as soon as he found he had been 
angry. 

One day, after he had kneeled down 
and prayed, he arose from his knees with 
such a bright face, that I asked him what 
be had said. 

He said, ''I told God I was sorry and 



CHlLDtJOOD CONVRl^SIONS. 55 

asked Him to please help me not to for- 
get the next time." 

Then I asked him if God said anything 
to him. 

He said God had said: 'That's all 
right, Phillip; you can go back to your 
play. I will help you." 

Phillip was right. God has promised 
to and will help us all in every time of 
need if we ask Him to do so. 



Chapter XII. 

A HELPFUL PRAYER AND HOW 
IT HELPED SOME FOLKS. 

If we were to use the little prayer 
found in the Bible, in the Book of Mat- 
thew, the fifteenth chapter and the 
twenty-fifth verse, we would be helped 
continually. 

The prayer is just three words — 
"Lord, help me" — and is so short that 
we could say it quickly, and ought to 
say it often in the day. 

I heard one boy say, 'T didn't know 
how to spell a w^ord that the teacher gave 
to us to write, and I was tempted to look 
on the next boy's slate; but I said, 'Lord, 
help me,' and so did not be dishonest." 

56 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 57 

Another boy said, VWhen my mamma 
called me to do something for her I 
used to pretend I didn't hear her calling 
me, or else I would keep on playing a 
little while longer before I answered her. 
Now, I say, 'Lord, help me,' and then I 
answer her and do what she wants me 
to quicker than a wink." 

To do anything quicker than a wink 
is doing it pretty quickly, isn't it? Just 
wink and see how quickly you can do it. 
Then think that quicker than a wink this 
boy did what he was told to do. That 
is, he obeyed the very instant he was 
told to do anything. 

I heard a little girl say that she used 
to pinch the baby to make it cry if her 
mamma told her to take care of the baby 
when she wanted to play. 

Wasn't that naughty to hurt a dear lit- 
tle baby? 



58 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

''Now/' said the little girl, "since I 
am trying to be a little Christian, when 
I want to play and mamma tells me to 
take the baby, I say, 'Lord, help me,' 
and then I not only do not make baby 
cry, but try to do everything to keep 
baby from crying." 

Said a mamma, "My little Lucy told 
so many stories from a little girl that it 
became easy for her to tell untruths, but, 
since she has been trying to be a little 
Christian and says, 'Lord, help me,' she 
has become truthful." 

Said another mother, "My boy and 
girl used to bang the doors when I 
made them do what they didn't want to, 
but now they use that little prayer, and 
God is helping them to obey cheerfully." 

Another mother said, "My little girl 
used to pout and cry if she could not 
have her own way. If she couldn't have 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 59 

all the cake and jam she wanted and I 
made her eat some bread, she would 
pout. Now she says that little prayer, 
'Lord, help me,' and eats and does what 
I tell her and does not pout." 

Said another one, ''I have been say- 
ing the same little prayer, and God has 
been helping me not to get impatient." 

Yes, God will answer that prayer as 
often as we use it. 

We can pray it anywhere, any time. 
We can say it quietly to God on the 
street, or in the schoolroom, or on the 
play ground, or in the home, or at 
church, or anywhere. More quickly 
than we can say it will God answer us. 

Any boy or girl who wants to please 
God will live so at home, by being quick 
to obey, kind to brothers and sisters and 
playmates, that it will be seen by those 
around them. 



60 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

A Christian will be honest at school, 
too, and study, and will be faithful at 
his work. 

I heard John Stephenson, a great car 
builder, say that when he w^as a boy of 
fifteen years of age, he used to ask God 
to help him be faithful in his work. 

F'rom being faithful as a lad, he rose 
until he was noted for being faithful. 
He honored God first, and God honored 
him in later years in a wonderful way. 



Chapter XIII. 

GOD'S EYES ARE EVER UPON 
US. 

We never get away from God. 

I have known boys and girls some- 
times to do things that were wrong, 
thinking no one was looking. But 
some one was looking all the time. Let 
us remember the verse, ''Thou, God, 
seest me." 

I suppose all the boys and girls know 
what an ostrich feather is. The ostrich, 
from which these feathers are taken, is 
a large and very shy bird. If it cannot 
get away when it sees travellers ap- 
proaching, it will bury its head in the 
sand, It seems to think that if it cannot 

01 



62 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

see the people they will not be able to see 
it, either. 

How foolish, you say. Yet just as 
foolish are those who act wrongly, try- 
ing to hide the wrong from God. Be- 
cause people cannot see God with the 
human eye does not prevent God from 
seeing them and even to know the 
thoughts of the heart. 

Said a man who had been trying to 
live for God for one year, "It is a great 
comfort at night when you face God 
and know that He has seen your con- 
duct during the whole day and your 
thoughts; it is then a wonderful comfort 
to know that you have tried to do your 
best." 

God says, ''Be sure your sin will find 
vou out.'' So, if sin is not found out at 
once, it will be some time, no matter 
how much anyone would wish it not to 
be. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. G3 

God's eyes are upon us always, every- 
where, every place. He can see even in 
the dark and at night. He sees all the 
things we do, hears the words we speak, 
and He "knoweth the very thoughts of 
our hearts." 

One night a little boy cried when sent 
to bed, because neither his papa nor 
mamma was with him. His aunt asked 
him why he cried. He said, 'Tm 'fraid." 
The aunt said, ''Why, dear, God is here 
in this room, so you need not be afraid." 
, Then he said, in a whisper, "Auntie, 
I wish Dod would det away, I'm 'fraid 
of Him!" 

Then the auntie said, ''Would you be 
afraid if papa was here?" 

"No," said the boy. 

"Well, God is your Heavenly Father, 
who loves you as much as and more 
than your earthly father, and can take 



G4 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

better care of you than anyone else," 
said the aunt. 

After that Httle OlUe was not afraid in 
the dark when he couldn't see anyone, 
for he remembered his Heavenly Father 
was present, not to make him afraid, but 
to love and take care of him. 

The only time anyone need be afraid 
is when they have done wrong, and the 
best thing is to go right and ask God's 
forgiveness. 

A boy wrote something that was very 
naughty. Some one said to him, '']o\\\\, 
I am surprised at you. I expected bet- 
ter things of you than that, for you know 
better." 

John kept thinking so about it, and 
how God must expect better things of 
him, that he gave his heart to God and 
lived a better life. 

God expects of each one of us that 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 03 

we shall do the best we know how, and 
He sees if we do or not. 

If we try, we can do what God re- 
quires, for we do not have to do it in 
our own strength, but God will help us. 



Chapter XIV. 

BEING BORN AGAIN AND JOIN- 
ING THE CHURCH. 

James was converted when a boy of 
twelve years of age. 

The leader of the meeting told the 
children it would be a good thing to put 
in their Bibles, somewhere, the d^te of 
when they were converted. 

James had no Bible of his own, so 
when he went home he told his mother 
he would like her to write the date in the 
family Bible. So she said she would, 
and asked him where she should write it, 

James thought a little while, and then 

said, ''Don't you think it ought to be 

written under the births, for it is when 

I was born again?" 
e6 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. G7 

You know, in the family Bible, there is 
a place for deaths, and another page for 
marriages, and still another one for 
births. 

James' mother smiled over the idea of 
placing the date under the births, but the 
more she thought of it, the more she was 
sure it w^as a good idea; so she did what 
James asked. 

If you could see that page now, you 
would read under the births this record, 

''James S , born July 12, 1875; born 

again, Jan. 4, 1887." 

Then James wanted to join the church, 
but his mamma feared he was too 
young. 

The leader of the meeting told of an- 
other boy who wanted tO' unite with the 
church, and his grandfather told him, 
when he got to be a man he might do so, 
but that he was now too young. 



68 CHILDHOOD CONVERSJONS. 

The little boy tended the sheep for his 
grandfather. 

The next day the grandfather saw that 
the boy had put all the old sheep in the 
fenced field, but let the young little 
lambs out in the roadside. 

"Why, my boy, what did you do that 
for?" asked the grandfather. 

Said the boy, ''Why, I thought we'd 
take care of the sheep, and, if nothing 
happened to the lambs until they grew 
old, then we'd put them into the fenced 
field." 

The grandfather saw the point, and 
said, ''My boy, it is very important to put 
the lambs into the fenced field, and you 
shall also come into the church, which 
is the fenced field to help keep all from 
straying from God and help to protect 
them from the evils of the sinful things 
of life." 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 69 

James told this story to his mother, 
and she permitted him to join the 
church. James' mother was never sorry 
for it, nor was James. 

To-day he is preaching of Jesus to 
others, and many boys and girls and 
grown people, too, have been led to 
Christ through James. 



Chapter XV. 

HOW GRACIE LOST HER JOY- 
OUS LOVE FOR GOD. 

A person who gives the heart to Jesus 
and has a new heart can get into dark- 
ness again, if they do wrong, meaning 
to do it. 

In the beginning of this book I have 
told you how Gracie was converted. I 
am going to teh you how she got into 
trouble some years later. 

For some years she was very faithful, 
and then she went to a young ladies' col- 
lege. 

There was a near-sighted teacher 
there, and, to her surprise, Gracie no- 
ticed the young ladies reading their les- 

70 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 71 

sons off of their books. She was 
shocked at first, having never seen such 
dishonesty before. 

One day, when she was not well pre- 
pared, she read her own lesson off. At 
once her heart became heavy, for she 
knew she had done wrong. 

She asked God to forgive her, and 
resolved never to cheat again. 

Then she noticed that while she 
studied her lessons, she was marked 
lower than those who had not studied at 
all. Nine was the mark for a perfect 
lesson, but often Gracie only got eight, 
while others who read their lessons got 
nine. 

Something seamed to say to Gracie, 
''It is pretty hard to be marked lower 
than the others, when you have studied 
and they have not." So she tried to 
make herself believe she did right to look 



72 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

on her book and cheated again by doing 
so. 

If Gracie had only thought there are 
two sets of books kept — the teacher's 
records and God's. Better be marked 
low in the teacher's book for lessons and 
get the marks honestly and have God's 
book show a high mark for honesty, 
than to have a high mark in the teacher's 
book when you do not deserve it and be 
marked low by God. 

Every boy and girl, too, should know 
that school is not merely to teach you 
what you learn out of books, but lessons 
of perseverance and application, etc. 

Some studies are harder than others, 
some problems require more work. The 
child who works at the hard things 
with so much more vim is gaining a 
knowledge how to battle with all the 
hard things in after life. The persons 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 73 

who do not apply themselves to their les- 
sons are not likely to apply themselves 
to other things in after life. 

I knew a girl who copied her lessons 
from others and had her compositions 
written by others at school. When she 
grew up and was married she was al- 
ways untidy about herself, her house 
was not kept clean, her children wore 
clothes that were not mended, and her 
husband had to eat food that was not 
well cooked; and, finally, he found his 
home so unpleasant that he went else- 
where, got into bad company, and be- 
came a drunkard. 

His wife, as a girl, complained of the 
lessons as hard and did not apply her- 
self to learn them. She complained, as 
a woman, of her work as being hard, and 
did not do it. 

I knew of a boy who did that way at 



74 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

school, and, at last, by following up the 
same way at work, when grown — only 
doing it half — he died in the poorhouse. 

Well, Gracie got into trouble in her 
religious life when she looked on her 
book again for the purpose of deceiving 
the teacher. Then she asked forgive- 
ness and thought • she would never de- 
ceive again. 

Soon something seemed to say, ''Why 
must you be a stricter Christian than 
these other girls? They look on their 
books, why can't you?" 

Gracie did not stop to think that there 
is a difference between being a church 
member and a real Christian. There 
are real and make-believe Christians in 
the church. We ought never to follow 
anyone any further than they follow 
Christ. 

Gracie made up her mind not to be so 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 75 

Strict, but to do as the others did, and 
so she lost the joy of Christ's presence 
out of her heart. 

It was years before she regained this 
joy, and she shed many tears in after 
years of sorrow over ever having done 
so wrongly. 

Gracie is a woman grown now, and 
she would tell you, as I have heard her 
say, that she was more sorry for the way 
she acted at that period at school than 
for anything else in her life. 

So I say to all boys and girls, never do 
the wrong if you know it to be so. 

If you do a wrong act once, ask God 
to help you not to repeat it. 

If you do wrong, knowingly and will- 
ingly, over and over again, you will 
surely lose the joy of the presence of 
Jesus. 



Chapter XVI. 

YOV CAN BE FAITHFUL— MIL- 
TON WAS. 

I have heard people talk as if children 
were sure to do what we call backslide; 
but it is not necessary, and I am glad to 
say I have known very many who were 
faithful from childhood, and I know 
many grown folks now who have been 
true to God since childhood. One of 
these I am going to write about in this 
chapter. 

Milton lost his mother w^hen he was a 
very small boy. 

People often told him about her, and 
that if he would be a good boy he would 
meet her in heaven some day. 

76 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 77 

When Milton was twelve years old he 
went to a camp meeting. When the in- 
vitation was given for those who wished 
to seek the Lord to come forward, Mil- 
ton was one of the first to respond. 

How he prayed God to forgive and 
bless him. 

The meeting closed, and the people 
went to their tents to get dinner, but 
Milton stayed all alone and prayed. 
Milton's sister came and told him to 
come to dinner. 

'T don't want dinner; I want religion,'' 
said Milton. There he remained pray- 
ing until the afternoon service. 

When the afternoon service was end- 
ed, the people went to their tents to get 
supper. Again Milton remained to 
pray. 

His sister came and urged him to take 
some supper. 



78 chjldhood conversions. 

''I don't want supper; I want religion, 
so I can be good and meet my dear 
mother in heaven," said Milton. 

At night Milton was converted. 
When he went home he joined the 
church on probation. 

Some time after he was skipping and 
jumping, feeling very happy, when he 
heard an old church member say, ''Look 
at that little rascal there, running and 
skippmg! He's a pretty church mem- 
ber, isn't he? In six months he will be 
worse than ever." Milton heard the 
man say it, and it made him feel very 
badly. He prayed about it. He knew 
there was nothing wrong in a boy run- 
ning, or jumping, or playing, as long 
as he didn't play wrong things or in a 
wrong way. He asked God to help him, 
that he might never go back in his re- 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 79 

ligious life and that he might always be 
faithful. 

God heard Milton's prayer. He has 
always been a faithful Christian, and to- 
day is one of our most earnest, helpful 
ministers of the Gospel. 

Milton is only one of a large number 
that I know who have been thus faith- 
ful. 

What God has done for other boys and 
girls He can do for you. He will do it 
if you ask Him. 



Chapter XVII. 

HOW TO KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT 
—WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? 

There are many things that come up 
for a boy and girl to decide as to 
whether they are right or wrong. You 
cannot always ask your parents' advice, 
because you have to decide at once, and 
may not be where they are. 

It is a safe plan to pray a minute for 
God's help to decide, and then think, 
"What would Jesus do?'' That will 
help you. 

A little girl was being teased by the 
other girls, because her dress was 
shabby. She felt badly and was about 
to answer back, when she thought of 

80 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 81 

the motto hanging in the dining-room 
at home, ''What would Jesus do?" 

She remembered how, when Jesus 
was abused, 'Tie answered never a 
word," so she walked on. 

The girls, when they found they could 
not get her to answer back and that she 
was always kind in her manner to them, 
stopped teasing. They were ashamed 
of themselves. 

Had the little girl answered back, they 
would have continued their ill-treatment. 

A boy who won a game on the play- 
ground was accused of cheating by the 
boy whom he had beaten. 

When the boy said, "You're a cheat; 
that's why you beat me!" he felt like say- 
ing, "You're a liar!" 

He remembered, however, that verse, 
"A soft answer turneth away wrath," so 
he said, "No, I didn't cheat, and I 



82 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

wouldn't, but don't let's quarrel. You 
may be able to beat the next game; even 
if you don't, I am a larger boy and have 
had more practice than you, so I ought 
to have beaten." 

The boy who was beaten at once got 
over being angry. 

''Who was whispering?" said the 
teacher. 

One after another said, 'T wasn't!" 
though many had whispered during the 
afternoon. 

Bob thought a minute. He knew if 
he told the truth he would have to stay 
after school, and he did want to go out 
to play. Then he prayed for strength 
to tell the truth, and said, 'T whispered." 

The teacher kept him after school and 
had him do some writing, to remind him 
not to forget and whisper another day. 

Bob saw others go out who had 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 83 

whispered, and had then told an un- 
truth, but when Bob did get out he felt 
better for having told the truth. 

His teachers found they could believe 
and trust Bob, while they couldn't do so 
with some of the other boys. 

When Bob grew to be a man people 
trusted him, too, while some of those 
boys could never be trusted. It would 
be said, 'That man never could be 
trusted, even when he was a little boy." 



Chapter XVIII. 
WHAT WE CAN GIVE TO JESUS. 

A littie boy heard them telhng in 
church about boys and girls who never 
heard about Jesus. He felt very sorry 
for these children. 

After a while there was a collection 
taken tO' get money to pay some one to 
go and to tell these folks w^ho had never 
heard of Jesus. 

Ben had a penny and he tried to find 
it; but, though he searched each pocket, 
he couldn't find the penny. The tears 
commenced to run down his cheeks, he 
felt so disappointed. 

Soon he stopped crying and a smile 
came on his face. He had thought of 
something to give. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 85 

When the man came with the plate up 
to where Ben sat and held it for Ben to 
put any money upon it, Ben said, 'Tut 
it a little lower, sir!'' 

The man did so. 

''Please put it a little lower, sir,'' said 
Ben. 

The man was surprised, but he did 
what Ben asked. 

''Won't you please put it a little 
lower?" said Ben. 

The man wondered what Ben was af- 
ter, and so he thought he would see; so 
he placed the plate on the floor. 

"I have no money to give to the mis- 
sionary cause, but I'll give myself," said 
Ben, standing upon the plate. 

The man smiled; but Ben did what he 
said, he gave his heart to God, and is 
to-day \r a foreign land preaching to 



8G CHILDHOOD COIVVERSIONS. 

those who had never before heard of 
Jesus. 

Jesus says, ''Give me thy heart/' and 
then we want to use everything for God. 

I knew a boy named Jamie w^ho gave 
his heart to God when only eight years 
of age. He was the son of a preacher. 

When Jamie joined the church next 
Sabbath the minister told them to try to 
get all the good they could from the 
church, and also to try to do all the 
good they could. He reminded them, 
among other things, to give of their 
money, as it cost to keep up the church, 
etc. 

A few days after Jamie's father found 
two cents by his plate at the breakfast 
table. 

"Where did this come from?" asked 
the father. 

"I put it there,'' said Jamie. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 87 

''What is it for?'' asked the father. 

"That's to help the church/' said 
Jamie. ''And when you have spent all 
that, and need any more, let me know." 

Those two cents were the first Jamie 
had gotten since he gave his heart to 
God. 

God surely blessed him for thus giv- 
ing. 

We need not give all our money for 
the church, but should give some. God 
will bless us for everything we give to 
Him. 

We all can give something. 

What can you give? Give your 
heart first, and then think what else you 
can give. 



Chapter XIX. 

CHILDREN CAN WORK FOR 
JESUS. 

Children can do much work for 
Jesus. 

I knew a Httle girl named Hetty who 
gave her heart to the Lord, and then 
held prayer meetings with her little 
playmates, until her little cousin was con- 
verted. The cousin is now preaching 
the Gospel. 

I knew another child named James 
v/ho promised God, when he was sick, 
that if He spared his life he would live 
for Him. 

When James got well he prayed, but 
did not seem to be sure about his sins 
being forgiven. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 89 

One night he attended a class meet- 
ing and was there blest. He was only 
twelve years old, but he went all through 
the farming neighborhood and told what 
the Lord had done for him. 

The people were touched, and it was 
the beginning of a great revival, in which 
over three hundred were converted. 
Six of those converted then are now 
ministers of the Gospel. 

A little girl who gave her own heart 
to God went home and told her parents 
and asked them to do so. The father 
was a drunkard, and a few nights be- 
fore had driven his wife and children 
out of the house at midnight, though it 
was freezing cold and they were in their 
night cJothes. 

The father was touched by his little 
girl's earnestness, and came with her to 
church and was converted, as were also 



90 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

the mother and five others of the fam- 
ily. 

Thus she led them to Christ, and after 
that they had a happy home. 

Said a Httle black girl named Mag, 
'T always felt I had a stone on my heart, 
when I went to the priest and asked him 
to forgive me. Now, since I have gone 
straight to Jesus, He has taken the stone 
away.'' She meant by the stone that 
her heart felt heavy. 

By Mag telling this little experience 
she led a number of others to go right 
to Jesus for forgiveness, instead of going 
to the priest. 

A very little girl heard some one say 
to her papa, ''You ought to be a Chris- 
tian for your little girl's sake.'' 

The next evening, as her papa kissed 
her good-night, she put her arms around 
his neck and kissed him, saying, "Papa, 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 91 

oo ought to be a Quistian for oor little 
girl's sake." 

That little sentence from his little girl 
led the papa to become a Christian. 

Another little girl led a man to be a 
Christian by just telling him how God 
helped her every day to be good. 

He asked her if she thought Jesus 
could bless and help an old sinner. 

She knew her Bible, and told him of 
the verse, ''Come, now, and let us reason 
together, saith the Lord; though your 
sins be as scarlet, they shall be as snow." 
And the man was helped by a little girl, 
where grown people had failed to help 
him. 

A father was led to give his heart to 
God by his little girl saying, 'Tapa, has 
oo dot a home in heaven?'' He knev/ 
he had not, and he came to Jesus, who 
prepared him for such a home. 



92 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

You know Jesus has gone to prepare 
a home for everyone who will let Him 
bless them, and thus prepare them for 
the home. 

Another little girl led her papa to 
Christ by telling him she was afraid 
she'd miss him so in heaven that she'd 
have to cry if he wasn't there. 

These were very little children, but 
God blessed them when they did their 
best, and God will help everyone who 
will do their very best for Him. 



Chapter XX. 

WHAT JENNIE DID FOR JESUS. 

Jennie gave her heart to Jesus at a 
children's meeting at Ocean Grove, 
N. J. 

When she went home she told her 
younger sister about it. Then she had 
a little prayer meeting, and this sister 
Annie was converted. 

They held their little prayer meetings 
often after that, and Annie helped her 
friend Lillie to learn about Jesus. 

Lillie had been brought up in the 
Catholic church, where they are told 
they must confess their sins to a priest, 
so it was not easy to make Lillie under- 
stand the way. 

93 



94 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

Annie explained to Lillie how it used 
to be right to go to a priest to confess, 
but that since Jesus came He is our 
priest, and we are to go to Jesus only. 
Finally, Lillie understood, and she 
prayed and was blessed. 

These girls helped many to become 
little Christians. 

One day Lillie became very sick, and, 
after being sick for some time, her 
friends saw that Lillie was going to die. 
One day they sent for the priest to come, 
that Lillie might confess to him and 
have her sins all forgiven before she 
died. 

When the priest came they told Lillie 
why they had sent for the priest and told 
her to confess, that she might be for- 
given. 

She turned to the priest and said, 
''Dear father'' — ^you know they call 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 95 

priests in the Catholic church father — 
"I have learned to go right to Jesus and 
confess my sins, and so I don't need to 
confess any, for Jesus has forgiven me 
all my sins long ago." Then she said to 
the family, who were weeping, 'T know 
if I die I shall go right to Jesus, for I 
know I belong to Him/' 

The priest said, 'T believe it, my 
child." 

Soon Lillie was with Jesus. 

Jennie and Annie are still living and 
working for Jesus. 



Chapter XXI. 

OTHER WAYS OF WORKING 
FOR JESUS. 

There are many ways that children 
can do work for Jesus. 

One Httle girl printed verses to send 
to the hospital. One verse was, ''And 
Jesus said, Suffer the children to come 
unto me, and forbid them not, for of such 
is the kingdom of heaven." 

The verse was hung at the foot of a 
cot where a little boy who was very sick 
could see it. The doctor, thinking the 
boy was asleep, told the nurse he would 
die. 

Soon after the nurse found him cry- 
ing. When she asked him why, he told 
her because he did not want to die, as he 
did not know where he would go. 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 97 

Then the nurse told him of heaven, 
and he seemed comforted. Poor boy, 
he had never gone to Sunday School or 
had anyone before to teach him of 
Jesus. 

After a while he was troubled again, 
and he told the nurse he was afraid they 
might think him too little to let him 
come in heaven. 

Then the nurse showed him the verse 
hanging at the foot of the cot, and Wil- 
lie felt sure after that of heaven. 

A few hours after he raised his hand 
and said, "Lord Jesus, Fm coming," 
and went to Jesus. 

Another little girl named Hazel heard 
how a minister out West hadn't shoes or 
warm clothes and hardly anything to eat. 
She made up her mind that she would 
help that minister along. 



98 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

So one day she took her cat and went 
from one friend's house to another and 
sang for them. She had a Httle mouth 
organ, upon which she played tunes, and 
pretended that kitty was her monkey to 
collect the money they would give. 

She explained what she wanted the 
money for. Then she would say, ''We 
are sorry for that poor minister, aren't 
we, kitty?" Then she would pull the 
cat's tail and the cat would mew, when 
Hazel would call it "Yes." 

When the folks gave her some money 
Hazel would give the cat another twitch, 
when it would mew again, and Hazel 
said it was her monkey saying, 'Thank 
you." 

In this way, and by using money 
which Hazel had saved, she was able to 
send $20 out to that minister. Don't 
you think he was glad? I am sure God 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 99 

blessed Hazel for doing the best she 
knew how. 

When Hazel's birthday came around, 
instead of having girls who had plenty 
of good things at their own homes to 
her birthday party, she had poor chil- 
dren. 

There was a home near Hazel's house 
for little boys and girls who were poor 
and had no homes or parents. Hazel 
invited these children from the home to 
her party. 

Hazel's mamma sent the carriage and 
brought them all to Hazel's home. 
There they had a lovely time, playing 
upon the beautiful lawn, and then they 
had a lovely tea. The children proba- 
bly never saw so much to eat before and 
probably never ate so much, either. 

There was plenty of cake and ice 
cream and candy and fruits, and the 



1 00 CHILD HO OD CONVERSIONS. 

table looked so pretty, decorated with 
beautiful flowers. 

When the time came to go home, the 
children were sent home in the carriage 
again, and each one was given candy 
and an orange and a nickel. Wasn't 
that a lovely way of doing good? 

I know another girl who did all the 
odd jobs her friends could find, and they 
paid her, and so she earned one dollar 
for missions. 

A boy sold all the eggs from two hens 
and made by that and other ways four 
dollars to give to missions. 

I have known a number of boys and 
girls try to do good by self-denial — use 
money they would have liked to spend 
for themselves to help some poor person 
mstead. 

Other children have, instead of doing 
something very pleasant, like playing, 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 101 

just asked their tired mammas to let 
them help do something to help mamma 
out with her work instead. 

There are thousands of ways of doing 
good. You can find them if you try. 

I want to give you a little verse in 
closing, which I hope you will make 
your motto and think upon it often : 

''Do all the good you can, 
To all the people you can, 
In all the ways you can. 
And as long as ever you can." 



Chapter XXII. 
HE CALLETH FOR YOU. 

One time Jesus met Martha and asked 
for Mary. 

Martha went to her sister and said, 
'The Master is come and calleth for 
thee.'' Mary rose at once and went to 
Jesus. 

Samuel, when a Httle boy, was con- 
secrated by his mother to the service of 
the Lord. So Samuel lived with the 
priest after that. 

One night Samuel thought he heard 
the priest call him a number of times. 
After going to the priest several times, 
the priest told Samuel that it was God 
calling to him, and that the next time 
he heard the voice Samuel should say, 

102 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 103 

''Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth/' 
And Samuel did so. 

To everyone, to-day, both young and 
old, the Master calleth. He says, ''Give 
me thine heart." How he would bless 
everyone if, like Samuel, they would 
say, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant 
heareth," and, like Mary, they would go 
at once to Jesus. 

I knew a boy to whom this call came, 
and he put it off until ne should be older. 

When he grew to be a man, he wanted 
to have "a good time first," he said, as 
if a Christian can't have a good time. 
They have the very best times in this 
world as well as in the next. 

One day this young man had another 
call; it was to die. He who' had not im- 
proved his time now had no time in 
which to get ready, and he died without 
Christ. 



104 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

I knew another boy who, at the age of 
fifteen, heard the call of Jesus and lis- 
tened to the call and found peace in 
Christ. He, too, died at the same age. 

When his friends stood around his 
bed, weeping, he said, "Vvcv not afraid to 
die; there are two verses so helpful to me 
now. One is, 'Let not your heart be 
troubled, neither let it be afraid'; the 
other, 'Yea, though I walk through the' 
valley of the shadow of death, I will fear 
no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod 
and thy staff they comfort me.' " I am 
sure every boy had rather have been the 
latter. 

I knew a girl who put ofif being a 
Christian until she should be older. 
There were two things especially in her 
way; one was something she did not feel 
willing to give up; the other was that 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 105 

she was unwilling to publicly acknowl- 
edge her desire to be a Christian. 

When a young woman she died un- 
expectedly to her friends, and had no one 
to pray with her. 

The other girl of whom I now write 
gave her heart to God when only nine 
years of age. 

At seventeen she was taken sick and 
died. As she w^as dying, she said, 
''Mamma, Jesus, heaven!'' 

With these words upon her lips and 
a smile upon her face, she went to live 
with Jesus. She had lived eight beau- 
tiful years for Him here, and now is liv- 
ing with Him forever. 

I know which of these boys and girls 
my reader would have liked to have 
been. Then I say, hear the call of 
Jesus and yield your heart now. 



Chapter XXIII. 

WHY SHOULD YOU BE A CHRIS- 
TIAN? 

A great many people think that the 
chief reason for being a Christian is to 
be prepared to die. Such people are 
likely to think, therefore, that old people 
are the ones who specially ought to be- 
come Christians, because they must die. 

While old people must die, yet young 
people may do so also. That many 
young people do die is plainly shown 
in our graveyards. There are more 
short graves there than long ones. We 
all remember, too, young people who 
have died young. 

But we do not need Christ merely to 
prepare us to die, but to help us to live. 
If anyone lives right, the dying will be 
all right. 

106 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 107 

We ought to live each day as we would 
want to if we knew we should not live 
another. 

There is a saying, '' 'Twill save you 
from a thousand snares to mind religion 
young." The boy who gives his heart to 
God in boyhood will be kept from drink- 
ing and other bad habits and so not have 
to fight against evil habits. So it will be 
with the girl, also. 

Every day we need the help of God to 
keep from doing wrong and to do our 
duty aright. 

The Bible says, ''Remember now thy 
Creator in the days of thy youth." 
When trials and temptations come and 
sorrows, Jesus will help us. Our very 
joys will be sweeter if Jesus dwells in our 
heart. 

Some people have an idea that the 
good little boys and girls all die young. 



108 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 

Some die young; but many bad ones die, 
also. But, usually, the fact of a person 
giving his heart to God and living for 
Him from youth up gives him more 
chance of life than otherwise, because he 
will keep the laws of health. 

I knew a man sixty years of age who 
was very sick, so that no one knew if he 
should recover. The doctor said, "The 
thing in his favor is that he has always 
lived a good life and not had bad habits." 

The man got well; but, if he had been 
a tobacco or whiskey user, or had sinned 
against his body in any way, he proba- 
bly would not have lived. 

Let me write you a few verses about 
what God says in regard to life. God's 
word, after all, is better than anything 
else that can be said upon the subject. 
Eph. 6: 2, 3: "Honor thy father and 
mother; which is the first command- 



CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS. 109 

ment, with promise; that it may be well 
with thee, and that thou mayest live long 
upon the earth." 

Proverbs 3 : 1,2: '' My son, forget not 
my law ; but let thine heart keep my com- 
mandments: for length of days and long 
life and peace shall they add to thee." 

Ps. 91 : 14, 15, 16: *' Because he has 
set his love upon me, therefore will I 
deliver him. I will set him on high, be- 
cause he hath known my name. He shall 
call upon me, and I will answer him. I 
will be with him in trouble. I will de- 
liver him, and honor him. With long 
life will I satisfy him, and show him my 
salvation." 

In closing, I wish to add this advice 
to all the young people : If you wish to 
make the most of yourself in this life, as 
well as prepare for the next, ''seek first 
the kingdom of God and His righteous- 



110 CHILDHOOD CONVERSIONS, 

ness, and all things shall be added unto 
you." That means everything that is 
for your good will be given you here, as 
well as life everlasting. 

If you honor God by yielding your- 
self to Him and being faithful to God 
thereafter, God will honor you both in 
this life and the life to come. 

Suffer children, said the Saviour, 

To come unto Me, 
For of such is heaven's kingdom. 

Lord, we've come to Thee. 

We will love Thee, we will serve Thee, 

All our earthly days ; 
Then we'll join the heavenly chorus, 

Songs of joy we'll raise. 

May you all be able to say truthfully, 

"Hallelujah! Hallelujah! 

I am glad to tell 

With my soul 'ti§ well" 



^^i 



